This year the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority was awarded the Margaret A. Nichols Risk Management Leadership Awards at the 2015 Annual Meeting held Friday, May 15 at The Place at Innsbrook.
Additionally, VML Insurance Programs (VMLIP) awarded the Town of Rich Creek, the Bedford Regional Water Authority, and the Town of Strasburg with Risk Management Performance Awards, and awarded seven individuals a Risk Management Excellence Award.
Risk management award recipients must demonstrate a proactive risk management attitude and commitment; excellent loss experience and reporting time; or a significant improvement in their loss ratios to be considered for the award.
This year’s award winners were:
The Town of Rich Creek, 2015 Risk Management Performance Award
“The Town of Rich Creek is a true partner in risk management,” said VMLIP Member Supervisory Board Chair John McCarthy. “They have a dedicated safety coordinator, and the town clerk works closely with our staff on various issues from auxiliary officers to property acquisition, and more.”
Bedford Regional Water Authority, 2015 Risk Management Performance Award
“The Bedford Regional Water Authority places a priority on effective risk management and utilizes many resources offered by VMLIP,” said McCarthy. “They have worked closely with VMLIP staff to make safety improvements to the water treatment facility they inherited from the Town of Bedford and ensure the highest risk management standards.”
Town of Strasburg, 2015 Risk Management Performance Award
“The Town of Strasburg takes risk management very seriously,” said McCarthy. “Their town clerk and chief of police both use VMLIP’s human resources services to mitigate against employment liability, in addition to providing light duty work for injured employees and scoring 100 percent on the Risk Management Guidelines assessment.”
Ann Irby, Arlington County Schools, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“Ann has gone above and beyond in her assigned duties to assist our staff with their workers’ compensation claims,” said McCarthy. “Ann has educated herself about workers’ compensation so she can anticipate what we may need and provide information before it’s requested – saving time and expediting the process of claims for their injured employees.”
“She has been successful in coordinating light duty work and conducting training for school contacts on workers’ compensation and reporting requirements. We congratulate Ann for her commitment.”
Karen Barger, Town of Herndon, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“As an HR Analyst with the Town of Herndon, Karen has moved above and beyond working with workers’ compensation staff and into preventing injuries through risk management,” said McCarthy. “Karen was instrumental in the town joining VML Insurance Programs’ Where the Rubber Meets the Road campaign, exemplifying her concern about the safety of town employees. She was also instrumental in helping the town reach a 100 percent score on their Risk Management Guidelines assessment.
“She consistently works with each department to ensure light duty is provided and as a result, their lost time claims count is very low. The town is a Gold Star member and reports their claims using NT24.”
Karen could not be at the meeting to accept the award.
Jackie Herrmann, City of Williamsburg, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“Jackie consistently provides photos, statements and other pertinent information to staff to ensure workers’ compensation claims are handled quickly, in addition to working actively with the city’s safety committee to address any potential safety issues,” said McCarthy.
Julie Phares, City of Williamsburg, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“Julie has been instrumental in the city joining VMLIP’s Where the Rubber Meets the Road defensive driving campaign and has worked tirelessly to help the city achieve a 100 percent score on their Risk Management Guidelines assessment – for which the city receives a credit on their premium,” said McCarthy.
Monica Dodson, Town of Front Royal, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“Monica’s dedication to risk management has ensured that the town has continued to participate in the Where the Rubber Meets the Road defensive driving campaign,” said McCarthy. “She has single handedly conducted every training class this member has done since 2012.”
“Additionally, she has taken advantage of many other resources to ensure town staff drive safely, and it takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment to take on the reigns of this program. And for that we thank her.”
Sheryl Johnson, Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“The authority employs many workers operating in different locations and in dangerous situations – particularly with toll booths,” said McCarthy. “However, they continue to have a low number of claims, much of which can be attributed to the dedication of Sheryl Johnson.”
“She has been instrumental in continuing risk management efforts throughout the organization and in the authority’s participation in VMLIP’s Where the Rubber Meets the Road safe driving campaign, and in finding light duty work for injured employees – even when it’s no easy task. For that we congratulate her.”
Casey Nance, York County, 2015 Risk Management Excellence Award
“Casey has been an integral part of York County’s Where the Rubber Meets the Road campaign,” said. “She has taken a creative approach toward the training – in one case recording a voiceover for the one-hour course offered by VMLIP and making the course available on the county’s intranet for employees to access at their own pace.”
“She works closely with safety staff at VMLIP and understands the value of partnering with VMLIP to implement effective risk management programs.”
Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority, Margaret A. Nichols Risk Management Leadership Award
The Margaret A. Nichols Risk Management Leadership Award is presented each year to recognize and encourage innovation in risk management by members of the pool. The award is named in honor of Margie Nichols, longtime administrator of VMLIP who passed away in 2002.
“The Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority understands the value of pooling and of utilizing their partnership with VML Insurance Programs to excel at risk management,” said VMLIP Members’ Supervisory Board Chair John McCarthy. “They were one of the first jails to join the Where the Rubber Meets the Road defensive driving campaign, and often they schedule classes a year in advance for their staff.”
The award is designated to members that demonstrate: strong support from top management; employee involvement; innovative solutions to safety challenges; injury and illness rates lower than average for comparable entities; comprehensive training programs; evidence that prevention of incidents is the cornerstone of the safety process; and communication about the value of safety.
“The authority has furthered their focus on safety by contracting with an outside company to employ an OSHA expert to conduct weekly facility inspections and provide regular training for staff,” said McCarthy. “This is in addition to regular consultations with VMLIP safety staff to make their employees and facilities safer. They are active in investigating workers’ compensation injuries to focus on future prevention, and it shows with their loss ratio of just under 23 percent.”
In addition to the awards ceremony, workshop speakers presented on a number of topics including: continuity of operations; cyber security; workers’ compensation and head injuries; and hot topics in human resources.
The luncheon featured a selection of cakes from Cakes By Graham complete with winner logos.
VMLIP is the first and largest group self-insurance pool in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more than 30 years, VMLIP has provided auto, property, liability, and workers’ compensation coverage to more than 460 local political subdivisions across Virginia. VMLIP provides pool members with superior financial stability and effective risk management services. For more information, visit: www.vrsa.us or follow VMLIP on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/vmlip.